‘Killing Eve’ Season 3 Round Up: Episodes 1-4

If there is anything the world has been talking about in the entertainment world it is Killing Eve. Not only has it become an addictive phenomenon it swept a lot of award shows throughout the year including the Golden Globes for the amazing performances and a BAFTA for Outstanding Drama Series. Needless to say, Phoebe Waller Bridge has been having a fantastic few years; I mean she is a phenomenal story teller. Fleabag first premiered at Edinburgh Fringe theater festival – WHAT? With that said, let’s get into the Killing Eve season three roundup.

First things first, there will be spoilers for the first 4 episodes of season 3. I won’t reveal the biggest surprises, but if you are anything like me when I watch things I can find one bread crumb and know the type of bread it came from and it’s calorie count when it comes to figuring out a story. I encourage you to read on but enter with caution.

As you know season 2 ended like season 1 with someone being impaled whether it be by a knife or a bullet, one of our star-crossed lovers was on the brink of death. Villanelle had lost faith in Eve and was devastated she could not have the satisfaction of owning her and acted the only way she knows how. This sociopathic relationship was on a way different path than she imagined. But I knew Eve’s fate lies beyond season 2.

Image courtesy of BBC America/Sid Gentle Films/Paola Kudacki

This season we are introduced to a gaggle of new characters and side stories that I am sure will all pan out to be much more than what they seem. As always, we have the lovable gang of Konstantin, Villanelle, Eve, Carolyn all at bayside high trying to navigate the foolish high school games. JK it is very real very adult and very much assasin-ing. But with new life “wink” we learn a bit about the past, present and possible futures of this wacky bunch.

This season we are highlighting characters in our title cards. Each character gets bold letters rather than just the locations – Okay! There are deeper themes at play this season that pull at your heartstrings and built even more layers for the story and trajectories of the character – I know how could it get more layered!?

VILLANELLE

A case of the hiccups and new strange things called feelings is the newest layer to Villanelle we see in season three. We elude to Villanelle being the shadow or a void in the seasons before and this season seeks to outline the view of an assassin. Right out of the gate, we learn more about Villanelle’s past with a look into the humble assassin beginning of her predecessor. And just like that Dasha has joined the group. Dasha from what we understand is Villanelle’s trainer. But the biggest underlying story that gets brought up is Villanelle’s need to connect to her past. I know you would think ‘oh we are going to get into the nitty gritty of her obsession with Eve.’ Instead, we see undertones of babies and a fascination with what they make adults do. But at the same time no real reaction to Dasha putting a baby in a trashcan and walking away.

Image courtesy of BBC America via Giphy

We begin an episode with a wedding. She’s a clown at a kids party to train a 19-year- old new assassin and has strange reactions to a baby of a mark she took care of. That woman was like, “The piano is worth a lot of money. Treat it like it deserves to be treated.” I was like oh she gon die. Aside from this, Villanelle also heads to a kid’s shop to get Eve a teddy gram, not like the delicious kid’s snack (although what an entendre) but one that she can leave a menacing message in. One of love but very, very creepy and terrifying, just like Eve likes! Villanelle also wants to be promoted to “keeper,” a role that is apparently higher ranking than Konstantin and Dasha. I honestly do not think she would thrive in this role. It doesn’t sound like there is much killing and a lot of strategy.

While Villanelle is obsessed with babies and childhoods, she finds out Konstantin knows where she is from, and he’s all like you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours. She gets a bad case of the hiccups and she takes care of some business with a woman connected to some things Konstantin is investigating. But as she continues on her shopaholic binges and assassin exploits, I swear we see moments of emotions. In her eyes, it’s a glint maybe? Or is she lost in how people feel things. This is a performance by Jodie Comer that is unparalleled. But Villanelle’s story is about to get even more tangled as the 12 want to rip her and Eve apart from each other, and we see the lengths some characters go to make sure that happens.

Image courtesy of AMC

I love this tangled web that is so simple yet devious and also complex. I feel like this show is very much like a woman nuanced and much more complex than the world could ever know but also so simple if you really just listened. Sorry to genderize that let’s get back to it.

KONSTANTIN

I always feel like Konstantin is an enigma, I know he works for the 12 but at the same time I always think he has his own motives. But we get to see more and more of Konstantin as he checks up on Villanelle and stirs the pot telling her Eve is alive and keeping close tabs on Carolyn, by way of her daughter?? Whaaa?! Carolyn has a daughter? We’ll get into that in a moment. Konstantin goes to help a friend who is nervous about some funds that go missing from a Geneva bank for the 12. He says he’ll look into it, but I honestly think he is not only trying to do his job, but I think he is trying to escape the 12 and truthfully it sounds like no one escapes the 12 especially after what happens to his pal who asked for his help. I really want to know how Konstantin thinks he can get out of anything or what he is really cooking up.

CAROLYN

This arc is on the same plane as Villanelle, that sounds so strange because wouldn’t it make more sense that Eve would be – but no these two are on a road to understand what is human emotion, and why do we need it? As an MI6 agent of her stature I guess you don’t get there by giving hugs and making friends. This is definitely not RuPaul’s MI6 friend race. We see her with her roommate Kenny (also known as her son) and that relationship struggling to evolve. When tragedy hits, we are introduced to Geraldine her daughter. I’m like from another marriage? Is this Kenny’s half-sister, step-sister, where did she come from? And it’s Yara Grejoy(actor Gemma Whelan, Game of Thrones)!!

We get to see what I call Carolyn’s emotions personified. This girl feels all the things Carolyn pushes down and out. She feels them out loud for her.

I am also mesmerized by Fiona Shaws’ performance. Stoic and completely broken down at the same time, which can only be done in subtlety – she does it expertly. This is why I say her and Villanelle are on the same plane. They are faced with things they have had to push down or forget and how they deal with it is what is bringing us all deeper into the pit of this fruit.

As work gets more complicated and intertwined with her personal life, she is still as manipulative, calculated and claws in connections clever and undetected as ever, but we are watching her melt at moments screaming silently into pillows – ugh so good. Having a brush with death and an encounter with Villanelle, she gets deeper into what is disrupting her work/life balance… as it were.

EVE

This woman has the most Jeremy Bearimy storyline that started with a nose dive and now I’m not sure what time is next. Eve is in a new place you know, it’s just better for her. I am lying – she literally says, “who says I want to be happy.” She has not taken to murdering as warmly as Villanelle has. It really looks like she is punishing herself for the atrocities by not cooking real meals and living in a crusty tiny room studio. But keeping in contact with Kenny which seems to brighten her spirits. Kenny offers up some information about the 12 he has found while working at his very regular online publication The Bitter Pill. It’s all so meta.

She also keeps in touch with Niko! He is dealing with his trauma as he should, and when Eve visits it just feels like the opposite of Villanelle. She is trying to hold on to some semblance of “normalcy” or her “old life” and she’s just not that person. She does not want to admit that her changed self may have sociopathic tendencies. We think we are seeing the downfall of Eve but really this is the crux of her rebirth.

Image courtesy of BBC America

She begins working with The Bitter Pill after the extremely sad tragedy. This is where we meet new character Paul! Who might be her wise “you’re not the only one going through shit” guy. She’s solving riddles and following leads and not doing it the Carolyn way – although they are definitely working in tandem. But honestly, it’s just a midway point in her transformation into her full self. She’s slightly ignoring her urges around Villanelle even after their romantic bus reunion headbutting and attack. She even gets a cake for her birthday after the creepy talking bear that Eve secretly loves. It’s like the gift the girl gets in Ant-Man “He’s so ugly, I love him!”

Image courtesy of BBC America and AMC via Giphy

But when she has a choice to possibly fix her old life or keep chasing this new one – she decides to die on this pitchfork and follow her desire to mend the old her and it all comes crashing down. I have faith that Eve is good at what she does and can see past the trickery, the mirage the ploy to toy with her and Villanelle’s relationship over everything, but this could also mean the full on birth of the new Eve and murder could be looking real good right about now.

The second half of this season is about to be ON!! Villanelle in her hometown wearing a turtleneck with hiccups, Eve avenging and loving it, Carolyn single and loving it. These are Strange Times at Ridgemont High. I’m interested in how this conundrum will all pan out, what Konstantin is really up to and will Villanelle get promoted. I’m so used to binging episodes so waiting week to week is hard, but we’ll get through it.

Aisha Jordan bio: Actor, Writer, Arts Administrator. I am a movie nerd. Born and raised, action and adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, cartoon enthusiast, and aficionado. Raised by a Trekkie mom in a world of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings. Foundation in social justice theater and playing in the nerd and entertainment world.